Click here for The History of St Columban's Parish School Mayfield: Celebrating Eighty Years of History 1917 - 1997 [PDF version 3.75MB]

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History of Mayfield

Mayfield is an inner city, industrial suburb of Newcastle. Newcastle is about 160kms from Sydney, Australia. The major industry is steel manufacturing. Before closing down operations here, BHP employed many of the local residents. Other major companies are Tubemakers, Australian Wire and Rope, Commonwealth Steel and Rylands Australia.

Mayfield's history can be described as one of profound transformation. It formed part of the hunting grounds of the Aboriginal people, who lived here. In the era of white colonisation, it transformed from an agricultural abode of the rich people of Newcastle to an industrial landscape that welcomed people from all over the world to work in the industries and factories of the post war period. It was the birthplace of the Hunter Region's wine industry, as well as the birth place for the prosperity of many individuals who had their beginnings in this little place.

The Aboriginal name for the land area of Newcastle was Mulubinba. The official 1833 Returns for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie mention four tribes that once lived here; The Awabakal (Lake Macquarie Tribe) whose chief was M'Gill (Biraban) ; The Pambalong (Swamps District and Near Newcastle) whose chiefs were Gorman and Coleman; The Ash Island Tribe whose chief was Wallungull and finally the Kurungbong (Cooranbong) Tribe under Ben. In 1836 the Rev. L.E. Threlkeld, a missionary stationed at Lake Macquarie, mentions the Cobbera's Tribe or Sugarloaf Tribe (who frequented Sugarloaf Mountain, Lake Macquarie, the Swamps and the surrounding neighbourhood) who may have been the Pambalong mentioned above and a clan of the Awabakal.

Prior to white settlement, the supreme being of this region was Kon (pronouced 'cone'). He was an invisible being who was held in both reverence and dread, and who is said to have made everything including the first man. Kon's role was to announce the arrival of natives from distant parts where they assembled for the mysteries such as the knocking out of a tooth in the mystic ring or the performance of some ritual dance. He usually appears painted with pipe clay and carries a fire stick in his hands.

The land that Mayfield now rests upon formed part of a land grant of 2000 acres made to John Laurio Platt, who was one of the first free settlers to the region. He built his homestead on Ironbark Hill, which is now the Steel River site, formerly the location of the Murray-Dwyer Orphanage. He arrived aboard the ship The Providence in January 7th 1822. By 1823 Platt was occupying his land and had chosen Ironbark Hill for his home. In December 1831, tragedy struck when two of his young boys, while chasing bandicoots in the forest, were consumed by a bush fire and perished. They were found by Constable Hewson and brought back to the homestead on Ironbark Hill. They were later buried at Christ Church Cathedral Cemetery. The family were devastated and by 1836 Platt and his wife were dead. The remaining seven children were adopted by E.C.Close, a friend of Platt's, and went to live in Morpeth. The eldest son remained on Ironbark Hill until the land was sold to the Australian Agricultural Company in 1839.

The suburb of Mayfield was born from the township of Waratah, when John Scholey decided to sell a portion of his land under the name of his daughter May in 1881. According to T.A.Braye's "History of Waratah, N.S.W" the subdivision originally was bounded on the west by Kerr Street, on the north by Crebert Street, on the east by a line about five chains from Church Street southerly to the Maitland Road and along Maitland Road back to Kerr Street. This land grant was originally made on the Ist February 1854 to James Price of Buttai. From him it passed through two owners until being conveyed to John Scholey on 2nd April, 1881. John Scholey was a butcher who had rented the land as a slaughterhouse paddock, with a slaughterhouse and residence for slaughtermen. The paddock was heavily timbered with thick  ti-tree bush growing along the Maitland Road. He had the land cleared, stumped and subdivided and called it Mayfield. You can read more about the history of our suburb by visiting the Mayfield Website.

Mayfield has many old and historic buildings.

This building is the Redemporist Monastery

History of
St Columban's Roman Catholic Church

In the depths of despair that was the Great Depression and the beginnings of the Second World War, the Catholic Church provided people with employment through church building. St Columban's in Mayfield was one of these buildings. The foundation stone was laid on the 19th November 1939 by the Most Rev. E.E. Gleeson, Bishop of Maitland. The building was estimated to cost approximately 12,000 pounds. He told the assembled 200 guests there that day that:

"Strangely enough the titular patron saint of this church, St Columban, spent his life building homes of peace, monasteries, throughout Europe in time of war when kings and princes were fighting each other everywhere." And added "You are building in time of war, a house of peace."

The church was officially blessed and opened on Sunday, August 4th 1940. It was constructed in rich red-tinted Maitland face brick on the site of the old Presbytery building, which was demolished to make way for the new church. The architect was Mr John Gannon.

The section following is reprinted from 50 years of progress : 1900-1950 : Mayfield jubilee celebrations : souvenir booklet [Mayfield, N.S.W. : s.n., 1950?] p. 23:

"The History of the progress of the Catholic Church is what is now known as Mayfield is interesting and extensive, dating back to 1838. In those far off days, Father Christopher Dowling and Father Rene Cusse and their successors, six or seven of whom are on record, administered to the scattered Catholics in this area until 1887 when the Redemptorist Monastery in Woodstock Street was opened and blessed by His Eminence, Cardinal Moran. This was on August 2, 1887. The first Superior of the Order in Mayfield was Very Rev. Father Vaughan, a near relative of Cardinal Vaughan of Westminster and of Archbishop Vaughan of Sydney.

On April 15, 1917, the Dominican Sisters took up residence in a house bought from Mr Julian Windeyer at the corner of Kerr and Bull Streets, and opened a school on the following day with 50 children. In 1919 they moved to the present site of San Clemente on the corner of Crebert and Havelock Streets. Adjacent properties were acquired later.

The Windeyer house on the corner of Bull and Kerr Streets

Mayfield was made a separate parish in 1924 under the care of Rev. P.C. McCormack. In 1937 he was transferred to Singleton. Associated with him were Rev. Fathers R. O'Moore (1930-1931) and J.T. McNamara (1932-1933).

During his twelve years as parish priest, Father McCormack acquired land and provided buildings for church, schools and presbytery and thus laid the foundations of the progressive parish of Mayfield.

In 1937, Rev. J.T. McNamara became parish priest. Associated with him have been Revs. M O'Dwyer (1937), J. Jensen (1939-1940), J. Walsh (1941-1945), J. Delany (1946-1949) and D. Heffernan (1949). The school church in Hanbury Street was erected in 1937. Two years later the foundation stone of St Columban's new church, fronting Church Street, was laid. The church has a seating accomodation of 1000 worshippers and is unique in its beauty and design of structure - a building of which all citizens of Mayfield can justly be proud.

The Catholic population of St Columban's Parish Mayfield, is estimated at 4000. Upwards of 700 children of Mayfield are attending Catholic schools, including 200 at High School up to the Leaving Standard."

[Reprinted from 50 years of progress : 1900-1950 : Mayfield jubilee celebrations : souvenir booklet
[Mayfield, N.S.W. : s.n., 1950?] p. 23

History of
St Columban's Primary School

On the 16th July 1917 a new parochial district was formed at Waratah, embracing the areas of Waratah, Broadmeadow and Mayfield. On the 17th October 1917 a new parochial school was blessed and opened. The Very Rev M.J. O'Reilly, C.M. blessed an extension that was completed on 27th March 1927 and Bishop Gleeson blessed and opened 2 large brick rooms and a large verandah that were added in 5th March 1933. Between 1953 and 1994 many additions and facilities were upgraded.

History of
San Clemente High School

San Clemente High School was originally the Convent of the Dominican Sisiters, that was purchased in 1919. The property was originally named "Redcliffe". Extensions were added to the school in 1922, 1947 and 1970. In 1976 the last four teaching nuns retired and in 1977 San Clemente became the first Catholic School in the Diocese to be staffed entirely by lay teachers. The School Chapel was opened in 1978, with further extensions and repair work being conducted in 1984, 1986, 1990 and 1993.

History of
St Dominic's School

St Dominic's is located at 76 Havelock Street. It was built in 1993 and is utilised for hearing impaired children.

This page was compiled and prepared by Gionni di Gravio in January 2001.
Many thanks to Diocesan Archivist Mrs Julie Cox.